Production Cell Lead

Solidcor; Chesterfield; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Personal Development Plan with ongoing

Unlimited holiday

Bonus scheme paying up to 50% ofannual

Enhanced maternity and paternity

Lunch, snacks and refreshments daily

Team social budget

Cycle to work

Auto-enrolment pension

Two major company events a year

Reward and Recognition scheme

Job summary

SolidCor in Chesterfield is seeking a Production Cell Lead to own a dedicated cell in our factory. You will lead a small team of operatives, maintain output to specification, and be the first point of accountability on the floor.

This hands-on leadership role requires setting the pace and ensuring every doorset leaving your cell is right. If you have experience as a bench joiner or production operative and want to advance to leadership, this role offers real ownership, continuous improvement

Qualifications

• Experience as bench joiner or production operative in manufacturing/joinery.
• Natural leader capable of directing a small team while contributing hands-on.
• Strong quality consciousness with attention to right first time production.
• Ability to read technical drawings, cut lists and production specs.
• Understanding of factory H&S requirements; lead by example.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small production cell, allocate work, maintain pace and quality.
• Work hands-on with team to follow best practices in assembly.
• Monitor real-time output and resolve bottlenecks.
• Perform quality checks and ensure products meet specification.
• Report shift output and issues to Shift Manager.
• Maintain a safe, clean cell and onboard new operatives.
• Identify efficiency improvements and feed ideas to management.
• Be a visible leader fostering a high-performance culture.

Skills

Bench joiner

Production operative

Team leadership

Quality consciousness

Reading drawings

H&S compliance

Fire door manufacturing

Supervisory experience

Job description

Production Cell Lead

Department: Factory

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Chesterfield

Reporting To: Danielle Barratt

Description

SolidCor is on a mission to make volume fire door replacement possible within days — enabling the industry to rapidly achieve compliance and community safety in every building. Born out of the urgent need for change following the Grenfell disaster, we have built the fastest production times in the industry and the widest range of primary-tested fire door configurations. We are growing fast and we are looking for A-players to help us get there.

We are passionate about getting things right and obsessed with quality. Our products are safety-critical — when a fire door fails, the consequences are real. We are building out our production cells as we scale, and we need strong leads to set the standard within them.

We are looking for a Production Cell Lead to take ownership of a dedicated production cell within our Chesterfield factory — leading a small team of operatives, maintaining output and quality to specification, and acting as the first point of accountability on the floor. This is a hands‑on leadership role: you will be working alongside your team, setting the pace, and making sure every doorset that leaves your cell is right.

If you are an experienced joiner or production operative who is ready to step up, lead a team, and take real ownership of your area — this is the role for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead your production cell — managing a small team of operatives, allocating work, maintaining pace, and holding the team to SolidCor’s quality and output standards throughout the shift.
• Work hands‑on alongside your team, demonstrating best practice in assembly, machining, or finishing operations and supporting operatives to develop their skills.
• Monitor cell output in real time, identifying and resolving bottlenecks, quality issues, or resource constraints before they impact the wider production programme.
• Carry out quality checks on work produced within the cell, ensuring all products meet specification and are fully compliant before leaving your area.
• Report shift output, quality, and any issues accurately to the Production Shift Manager at handover.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and well‑organised cell at all times — leading by example on H&S standards and ensuring all team members follow safe working practices.
• Support the onboarding and training of new operatives joining your cell.
• Identify opportunities to improve cell efficiency, quality, and ways of working, feeding ideas back to the Shift Manager or Plant Director.
• Act as a positive, visible leader within the factory — contributing to a high performance, team-first culture across the site.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• An A-player mindset — high standards, extreme ownership and the drive to do things properly, the first time.
• Proven experience as a bench joiner, production operative, or similar role within a manufacturing or joinery environment.
• A natural leader — confident directing and motivating a small team while maintaining your own hands‑on contribution.
• Strong quality consciousness — an eye for detail and a genuine commitment to right first-time production.
• Able to read and work accurately from technical drawings, cut lists, and production specifications.
• Good understanding of H&S requirements in a factory environment, with a lead‑by example approach to safe working.
• Reliable, consistent, and self‑motivated — someone who takes pride in the performance of your team and your area.
• Experience in fire door or door set manufacturing (preferable).
• Previous team leadership or supervisory experience (preferable).

Job Benefits

• competitive salary
• a Personal Development Plan with ongoing training and mentoring
• unlimited holiday
• a bonus scheme paying up to 50% of annual salary
• enhanced maternity and paternity
• lunch, snacks and refreshments on us every day (fresh fruit and Takeaway Friday included)
• a team social budget
• cycle to work
• an auto‑enrolment pension
• two major company events a year
• our Reward and Recognition scheme — including European mini breaks for those who go above and beyond

SolidCor is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment regardless of age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief. We want everyone who works with us to feel valued and to make a difference.